function testCookies() { 
	 var exp = new Date(); 
	 exp.setTime(exp.getTime() + 1800000); 
	 // first write a test cookie 
	 setCookie("cookies", "cookies", exp, false, false, false); 
	 if (document.cookie.indexOf('cookies') != -1) { 
	 	if (getCookie("cookies") != "cookies") {
			alert("This site requires cookies to continue.  Your system is not returning a valid cookie.  Please turn off cookie blocking and try logging in again."); 			
			window.location.replace('http://students.autodesk.com/?nd=nocookies');
		}
	 } 
	 else { 
		alert("This site requires cookies to continue.  Your system is blocking cookies.  Please turn on cookies and try logging in again."); 
		window.location.replace('http://students.autodesk.com/?nd=nocookies');
	 } 
	 // now delete the test cookie 
	  exp = new Date(); 
	  exp.setTime(exp.getTime() - 1800000); 
	  setCookie("cookies", "cookies", false, false, false, false); 
	 }
	
	function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure) { 
	 var curCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) + 
		((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") + 
		((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") + 
		((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") + 
		((secure) ? "; secure" : ""); 
	 document.cookie = curCookie; 
	}

	function getCookie(name)
	{
    	var dc = document.cookie;
	    var prefix = name + "=";
	    var begin = dc.indexOf("; " + prefix);
	    if (begin == -1)
	    {
	        begin = dc.indexOf(prefix);
	        if (begin != 0) return null;
	    }
	    else
	    {
	        begin += 2;
    	}
	    var end = document.cookie.indexOf(";", begin);
	    if (end == -1)
	    {
	        end = dc.length;
	    }
	    return unescape(dc.substring(begin + prefix.length, end));
	}